Thill-coupling



(No Model.) T. A. WATROUS.

THILL GOUPLING.

No. 443,021. l Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

Q91' ff new@ /f ,.1 n Ill] UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, l,

THOMAS A. WIATROUS, OF ELMIRA, NEV YORK.

THILL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,021, dated December16, 1890. Application iled April 2l, 1890. Serial No. 348,756. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. VATROUS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elmira, in the county of Ohemung and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Thill-Coupling, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in thill-couplings of that generalclass in which a rubber cushion or anti-rattler is employed and securedin place bya cap which fits over the ends of the coupling-pin to holdthe same in its position.

The especial object ofmy invention is to provide means by which the capand the antirattler can be quickly and easily secured in place uponcompleted vehicles provided for the ordinary thill-eouplings; and itconsists in i certain novel features hereinafter described, and pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of myimproved thill-coupling. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the locking plate ornut. Fig. dis ahorizontalsection on the line fr, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a transverse section.

Referring to the drawings particularly by letter,A designates thebearing-arms of the usual construction. The thill-iron B is pivotedbetween the bearing-arms A by a pin C, and a cap D is fitted over thebearing-arms and the end of the pin in the manner shown in LettersPatent No. 413,379, granted to me October 22, 1889. The rubber cushionor anti-rattler G is arranged in rear of the thilliron and bearsthereon, and below the antirattlcr and the arms A, I arrange the lockingplate or nut Il in position to engage the screw I after it has passedthrough the cap and anti-rattler. The locking plate or nut is pref`erably formed of brass, so as to prevent rusting, and is provided at itsrear with lips or flanges J, which engage the under edge of the shackleand prevent the locking-plate being drawn upward between thebearing-arms, and the said flanges also engage the stem of saidshackle-clip, so as to prevent it from rotating when the securing-screwis turned.

I n practice t-he several parts are iitted together, as shown anddescribed, and the se curingserew is turned so as to move downwardthrough the antirattler and engage the locking-plate, thereby drawingthe cap down firmly on the bearing-arms and compressing 5 5 the cushion,so that it will exert considerable pressure on the eye of thethill-irnn. The locking nut or plate forms a bearing for the screw, sothat the desired operation of the device is insured. The front edgeofthe lock- 6o ing-plate is beveled and grooved, as shown in Fig. 3,whereby it is adapted to fit and partly underlap the thill-iron.

My improved device is extremely cheap and simple and can be easily andquickly ap- 6; plied to the thills of completed vehicles withoutdisturbing the fixed parts, marring the paint, or requiring the servicesof a skilled person.

The several parts are readily detachable, 7c so that they can be easilyremoved when broken or worn and new part-s applied. The cap-plate ispreferably made a little crowning (see Fig. 4) instead of fiat, as shownin my patent before referred to, the crowning form being better adaptedto leave sufficient space for a rubbercushion of the size and form bestcalculated to be an effective anti-rattler. rlhe edge of the cap is cutaway in front, as seen at CZ, Fig. l, to favor the rubber and ren- 8oder it more lasting by allowing` it to move with the thill-iron when inaction.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 8 is- 5 l. The combination, with the axle, the cliphaving bearing-arms, the thill-iron, and the coupling-pin pivotallyconnecting the thilliron to the couplingarms, of the crowningcap restingon the bearing-arms and fitting 9o over the ends of the pin, the cushionbelow the cap and in rear of the thill-iron, the locking-plate below thecushion and independent of the clip-plate, and the securing-screwpassing through the cap, the cushion, and the locking-plate,substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the bearing-arms, the thill-iron, and thecoupling-pin inserted through the thill-irons and bearing-arms, of thecap resting on the bearing-arms and fitroo ting over the ends of thecoupling-pin, the cushion below the cap and in rear of the tliilliron,theloeiiingpiate having beveled grooved my own I lhave hereto affixed mysi glm'tu re in edge adapted to underiap and it the thiiLron presence oftwo witnesses. :md provided with horizontal lips engaging the stem ofthe clip, and the securing-screw THOS. A. \VA'I`R()US. 5 insertedthrough the cap andthe cushion and Witnesses;

engaging the looking-plate, as set forth. J. E. VARNUM,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing J. E. ALDRICH.

